Leaving
by KingdomOfThomond
Summary: Engineer and the surviving RED team leave Mann's land after the end of the Robot Wars.


17th August, 1985

Engineer was writing in his notebook.

_"I joined RED eighteen years ago, looking for a job. Eighteen years of memories and fun. Those of us who have survived have seen it all. And those of us who did, have been waiting, and hoping for, the arrival of this day. The day we leave Mann's land._

_"Nine years have passed since the end of the Gravel Wars and the deaths of Redmond and Blutarch Mann. Nine years of RED and BLU fighting Gray Mann's robots. Now, Gray Mann is finished, killed after a supposedly infallible attack on Mann Co. ended badly for him. But none of us, the surviving RED mercenaries, are getting any younger, and we feel our age."_

Engineer was withered and bent, but physically able. Scout was mature, and seemed reasonably respectable, despite retaining his speed and agility. Soldier, although his crazy attitude remained, was grim and talked very little. Demoman had lost some control over his legs and thus used a walking stick most of the time, still kept on drinking his beloved Scrumpy. Medic had lost most of his hair and had wrinkled skin like Engineer, but kept his love for experimenting and cutting people up.

Hoping to enjoy the company of his old friends one last time, the RED Engineer approached his team-mates as they were preparing to leave. As each Engineer made his request to is fairly busy friends, he found out where some of them were going next. Medic was the new head of a German medical research facility, Soldier had finally managed to join the army, and Demoman was going to take up his rightful place in Scotland. As each of Engineer's team-mates received their invitation to dinner, none of them asked why. They all had know that they would be leaving one day, and that day had come.

The group arrived in the mess hall at Coal Town, and they had one last meal together as they laugh and reminisce about their experiences. Engineer gave a toast to all those who have died: "To absent friends — in memory still bright."

Scout remembered Pyro, Demoman remembered Heavy, Engineer remembered Spy, and Medic and Soldier remember Sniper. They later spend the evening together in their base. Soldier was dissatisfied with his role in RED and then going into the US Army, feeling that he is little more than a relic from World War 2, and the little known Gravel Wars and Robot Wars, and has always had the bests fights with RED.

The next morning, Engineer dressed in his old overalls and prepared to depart. He felt comfortable in them, and they were a way of identifying himself. Clean overalls, neatly folded by Engineer, were packed into his rucksack alongside his guns, and Engineer checked his toolbox, before placing it by the door.

"Herr Engineer, I didn't think that you vould be allowed to take your toolbox vith you." stated Medic.

"I ain't intendin' to use it for war now, doc. I'm goin' to use it for a few construction projects I've got in mind." replied Engineer.

Medic ran his hand through what was left of his hair, pushing it to the side.

"Vill you be leaving Mann's Land vith the rest of us?" asked the German.

"Sure thing, partner." answered the Texan.

An obviously drunk Demoman came up to them. He prodded Medic with his walking stick.

"I'm gonna be all over you like shingles!" exclaimed Demoman.

"Nein, you vill not. Und stop drinking as much as you do." retorted Medic.

Soldier and Scout appeared shortly afterwards.

"Everybody ready?" asked Engineer.

He got nods of approval in reply. The walk to the train station took about half an hour, so they immediately started on their way. A short distance away, Engineer pressed a few buttons on his PDA, and their barracks blew itself to pieces, eradicating the biggest trace that RED was ever there.

Scout started doing a bit of beat-boxing, and attempting to look vaguely cool, but failed spectacularly at the latter.  
Soldier stopped him.

"Son, _no-one_ who wants to live does that in front of me! Do you get that?" shouted the American.

"Come on, man. This is the best opportunity for me to to this." replied Scout, immediately returning to beat-boxing.

"Start running." growled Soldier, cracking his knuckles and equipping the Pain Train.

"Freakin' unbelievable!"

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**A/N** Just a short piece about RED leaving. I hope you enjoyed it, but please rate and review.


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